Beijing - King Wing Hot Spring International Hotel

Upon arriving at the Beijing Capital Airport we took a cube and drove to the "King Wing Hot Spring International Hotel" which placed in Beijing, No.17 Dongsanhuan Nanlu, Chaoyang District. The Post Code: 100021. Tel: 010-67668866 and Fax: 01067655969. The hotel has 5 stars. When we arrived at the hotel we checked in and arranged ourselves in the room. The flight was exhausting so the rest of the day we were relaxing and recovering from the jetlag in the room. At the evening we went to a very nice restaurant of Japanese Cuisine. The restaurant's name is Nishimura, we have been told that it is the best restaurant serving Japanese food in Beijing. The average Cost per Person is CNY600. Dishes which we recommend are: The Sashimi, the Broiled Codfish, the Grilled head of Salmon and the Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert. The restaurant's location is: 2/F, Shangri-La Hotel, No.29, Zizhuyuan Lu, Haidian District.

The King Wing Hot Spring International Hotel has a total of 341 rooms consisting of standard rooms, suites, and presidential suite. There is also an entire floor dedicated for special business travelers. Broadband connections to the Internet broaden your view to the world and let you grasp every business opportunity. Elegant decoration adds to your admiration of life and makes you feel otherworldly. Fluorinate hot spring bathrooms bring you flavors of the nature.

One night in the hotel was cost us 1280 RMB for 1 standard room which included breakfast and extra bed.

In the morning we visited Tiananmen Square. The Tiananmen Square on the north to south axis is at the center of Beijing city. It's the largest square in the world. The Five-Star Red Flag flutters high above the mid-point of the square's north side. We went out very early before dawn for seeing the Guards march. They march everyday at dawn and dusk in unison to the foot of the flagstaff to hoist or lower the National Flag. The Monument to the People's Heroes towers over the center of the square. To its south lies Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall. We visited The Chinese Revolutionary Museum and the Chinese History Museum which are standing to the east of the square, the Great Hall of the People to the west and the magnificent Heavenly Peace Gate Tower to the north. The Tower is adjoined on its left side by the Zhongshan Park and on the right side by the Working People's Palace of Culture. Opposite the tower in the far south is the Zhengyang Gate Tower. These fine and unique buildings arranged in perfect harmony add a greate beauty to the Tiananmen Square. The Tiananmen Square is the people's square, where grand state ceremonies are held on important occasions. After visiting Tiananmen Square we went to see the magnificent Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is the Imperial Palace, also known as "Gugong". It was the imperial residence and center of the kingdom during the reign of 24 emperors. 14 in the Ming and 10 in the Qing dynasty resided and ruled from this palace for 491 years until Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty and of China. It is now the largest and best preserved ancient architecture in China. The Imperial Palace is located in the center of Beijing. The palace boasts more than nine thousand rooms, with layout following strict feudal code. The palace is divided into two main sections:- the Front Palace and the Inner palace. In the center of the Front Palace stand the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of

Complete Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. The Inner Palace includes the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Prosperity, the Hall of Earthly Peace and the Imperial Garden. There are four gates at each corners of the walls:- The Meridian Gate to the south, the Gate of Divine Military Genius to the north, the East Flowery Gate to the east and the West Flowery Gate to the west. The Gate of Divine Military Genius was the gate connecting the imperial palace with the market area to the north of the palace. It is the largest gate of the Forbidden City and surmounted by five pavilions. The central pavilion is rectangular in shape, while the other four, two on each side are square and hence the nickname is "The Five Phoenix Tower". The Meridian Gate was so named because the Chinese emperors believed that they lived in the center of the universe, and the Meridian Line went through the Forbidden City. The Imperial Palace is the largest museum in China; it preserves more than 900,000 priceless antiques covering all dynasties of Chinese history. It has been recognized as the biggest and most important treasury house of Chinese culture and arts in the world. After visiting the Forbidden City we ate lunch at The Oriental Plaza Food Court. Oriental Plaza is on the corner of Wangfujing, one of the city's main shopping streets, near Tiananmen and the Forbidden City. The food court is on the bottom floor. There is almost every type of Chinese food - Sichuan, Cantonese, hotplate, dim sum, noodles and all sorts of regional specialities. We paid less than us$10 per person. After the lunch we went to see the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven, (Tiantan), literally the Altar of Heaven, is located in the Chongwen district in the south part of Beijing, about 6km away from the center of the city. It was built in 1420 during a time when many other important structures were constructed in Beijing. Tiantan is a complex of Taoist buildings served as a place of ceremony and ritual for the Ming and Qing emperors. In the evening we went out to enjoy Beijing's famous Peking (Beijing) Duck. The restaurant is more expensive than average we paid about US$20 per person. It is placed in No. 32, Qianmen Avenue, Xuanwu District. The place is very close to Tiananmen Square which means not difficult to locate.

Peking (Beijing) Duck

The Temple of Heaven

Forbidden City

Tiananmen Square

3rd day
Sites we visited: The Great Wall: http://www.orientaltravel.com/province/city/area/Badalingchangcheng.htm The Ming Tomb, Sacred Road: http://www.orientaltravel.com/province/city/area/The_Ming_Tombs.htm Water Cube, Bird Nest: http://www.orientaltravel.com/China/Beijing.htm Restaurants where we ate: Breakfast- At the hotel Lunch- A nice local restaurant on our way to the Ming Tombs. Dinner- Ganges Indian Restaurant: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/beijing/dinning/indian.htm Unique Cultural Performance: Peking Opera Show http://www.thebeijingguide.com/shows/peking_opera.html Accommodations: King Wing Hot Spring International Hotel

In the morning we visited the Great Wall (Badaling Section). The Great Wall, (Wanli Changcheng) literally means the Ten Thousand Mile Wall, is a great fortification in ancient China. The section at Badaling is the most famous and touristy of all due to its proximity to Beijing City and condition of restoration. The imposing Badaling Great Wall climbs up and down, twists and turns along the high mountain ridges. It fully shows the lofty quality of ancient Chinese labor people. Badaling Great Wall, with more than 1000 meters above sea level, occupies a commanding and strategic position. It is a defensive outpost of the Great Wall. It is called "Bada" as it stretches in all directions. The Great Wall is considered to be one of the Seven World Wonders of the Medieval Mind.
Admission Fee: CNY 45 (Apr. 1 to Oct.31), CNY 40 (Nov.1 to Mar.31) Opening Hours: 06:30-19:00 (In summer), 07:00-18:00 (In winter)

It was lunchtime when we finished our Great Wall tour at Badaling. We were headed on our way to the Ming Tombs which was our next stop. But before the tour we were going to fill our stomachs first. We went to a local restaurant about 5 minutes away from the Ming Tombs. After lunch we strolled down the Sacred Road to the Ming Tombs. The Ming Tombs are a very fascinating place because it is the burial grounds of the last 13 Ming Emperors. Only one of the tombs that of the 4th Ming Emperor, is open to the public because it has been excavated. Unfortunately, within 6 hours after modern oxygen crept into the tomb, everything that had been mummified dissipated. So, the ancient bodies are no longer there, but you could walk through the empty tomb. On our way back to the city we visited two venues from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium)

and the Water Cube (Olympic Aquatic Center). For the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the city has invested millions of dollars to enhance and upgrade the city prepare for the Olympic Games. For dinner we went to Ganges Indian Restaurant which located at Bldg 1, World Trade Business Center, No.9, Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District. We recommend those dishes: the Yoghourt, the Butter naan and the Lamb Rogan Josh. We paid about CNY70 per person. After the dinner we enjoyed a spectacular Peking (Beijing) Opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre. The theatre is located at 175 Yong¡¯an Lu, Qianmen Hotel, Xuanwu District. Beijing Opera is the national quintessence of China. It has got its name because it was formed in Beijing. Beijing Opera has nearly 200 years' history. It has beautiful and unique aria and dance. The singing of Beijing Opera is very tasteful, the tune and the dialogue are musical. 3 tickets in the VIP tables were cost us 420 RMB each one. There were snacks provided at the table seats. The Liyuan Theatre

The Great Wall (Badaling Section)

Ming Tombs

The sacred Road

The Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium) & the Water Cube (Olympic Aquatic Center)

After breakfast we visited the gorgeous Summer Palace. The Summer Palace, located ten kilometers to the northwest of Beijing, used to be a summer residence of Qing Dynasty emperors and is now a public park. It is an imperial garden known far and wide for its architectural grandeur and stunning natural beauty. One ticket cost us RMB ¥60. We had lunch at the Palace's restaurant. After that we went back to downtown Beijing for a tour around one of Beijing's most famous Hutong areas. Hutong is a typical lane or small street in Beijing that originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). "Hutong" is a Mongolian word, meaning "water well". During that time, water well is the settlement around which people lived. There are tens of thousands of hutongs surrounding the Forbidden City. In the past, Beijing was composed of countless courtyards. Hutongs were formed when people left a passageway between two courtyards to make entering them more convenient. For diner we went to Dao Jia Chang restaurant which placed in No.20, Guangxumen Beili, Chaoyang District. It is an ideal place to taste real Beijing Cuisine as well as the catering culture of Beijing. The traditional Beijing Cuisine served here, especially the noodles with soybean paste. We paid about RMB ¥30 per person. After a great dinner, we left Beijing and boarded the luxurious New Oriental Express Train to Qinghai Lake.

The Summer Palace

Hutong

5th Day
:Sites we visited Sun-Moon Mountain Qinghai Lake

Xining / Qinghai Lake

http://www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/EN/03000812.aspx http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/qinghai/xining/qinghai_lake.htm :Restaurants where we ate .Breakfast- In the "New Oriental Express" train Lunch- A restaurant with an amazing view to the mountain. Dinner- In the Qinghai Lake Hotel's restaurant Accommodations: Qinghai Lake Hotel http://www.agoda.com/asia/china/qinghai/salt_lake_hotel.html

In the morning of day five we boarded a bus to visit the Sun-Moon Mountain which is located in the Huangyuan Prefecture of east of Qinghai Province , the northeast of the Qinghai Lake and it belongs .to the offshoot of the Qilian Mountain chains .The lakes and mountains are very beautiful, they look like a picture The Sun-Moon Mountain were also called Chi Ling before, the Sun & the moon Mountain has vast and green big grassland at the foot of the mountain, full of green trees on the mountain and the cloud and mist on the top and the sun and the moon river flowing from east to .west. This combination forms a very beautiful picture We were there 3-4 hours and we also ate there lunch in an amazing .restaurant while watching the beautiful view After visiting the sun moon mountain we went to see the Qinghai Lake, the largest saltwater lake in China, which occupies an area of over 1,740sq miles. The Qinghai Lake is lying in the northeast of Qinghai Province, approximately 150km from Xining at 3,200 meters above sea level. The lake is located at the crossroads of several bird migration routes across Asia. Many species use Qinghai .as an intermediate stop during migration

We wanted to surround the lake, Thing that a lot of pilgrims are doing but we found out that it takes a lot of time (15 days by horse) to surround the lake so we decided to give up on this idea and just .to do a little track on the shore of the lake
:The prices are 101 Scenic SpotCNY 100 (Apr. 16 - Oct.15) CNY 50 (Oct.16 - Apr. 15) CNY 70 (Apr. 20 - Aug. 20); CNY 35 (Aug. 21 - Apr. 19) CNY 78 8:30-17:30

Sand IslandBird IslandOpening Hours:

We assumed that it will take 5 hours but it took 6 hours so after this track we went back to the hotel "Qinghai lake hotel" which is a 4 stars hotel. The "Qinghai lake hotel" is providing comfortable guestrooms, the hotel is conveniently situated close to the 1,500 .square meter Salt-Lake Park

6th Day
:Sites we visited Bird Island Potala Palace

Qinghai Lake / Lhasa

/http://www.travelchinaguide.com/picture/qinghai/xining/birds_island http://www.china.org.cn/english/kuaixun/74941.htm :Restaurants where we ate .Breakfast- At the hotel Lunch-In the "New Oriental Express" train. Dinner- In the "New Oriental Express" train. Accommodations: On the New Oriental Express Train http://rudenoon.com/absalletc/archives/tag/new-oriental-express

At the morning of day six we boarded a boat for a trip to Bird Island which is located in the center .of Qinghai Lake We read an article about the Bird Island which say that it is an interesting and charming place on the western shore of Qinghai Lake. The island is a paradise for varieties of birds. The protection policy of the local government makes island even more popular among birds. Each March and April, when ice covering the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau begins to melt, more than 20 kinds of migrating birds fly to the island to breed. During that period, flocks of birds shelter the whole island and bird eggs can be found everywhere. Visitors can hear bird's .twitters far away We were there until 3 o'clock and then we boarded the New .Oriental Express Train to Lhasa .We saw the spectacular beauty that was shown right in front of us We passed the world's highest mountain ranges, icy glaciers which .should be a phenomenal experience We ate lunch on the train while we watched how the snow covered .the mountains

!!After lunch we stopped in The Potala Palace with its 10,000 steps The Potala Palace is the largest structure in .Tibet and it's very famous Of course we didn't climb all of these steps .but we climbed until we got tired It is important to know the Opening time: 9:30am- 13:00pm; 15:00pm--18:00pm .We paid RMB 100 yuan per person We ate dinner on the train and then we went to sleep because we .were tired after this exhausted day

.In the morning we visited the Shanxi Provincial Museum It is recommended visiting Shanxi Provincial Museum in the morning because it is not loaded. We found a great chart which shows the opening hours, the bus route and the recommended time :for a visit Admission Fee: Free

We took bus number 527 to the museum at ten o'clock and we got .to the museum at eleven and an half o'clock

The Shanxi Province Museum, located inside the Confucian Temple .of Taiyuan City .It was built in 1918 and opened to the public in 1919 In the museum there are 100,000 items of historical relics and .revolutionary relics We love museums therefore we stayed there until three o'clock and .we also ate there lunch When we finished we took a bus to Xian's Ancient city wall which is one of the most complete city walls that have survived through China's long history. This wall was built by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor, in order to keep out bandits and .barbarians We were there until six o'clock and then we went to our new hotel: .Grand Castle Hotel which is located right next to the city wall After we were settled in the hotel we went to see the Tang Dynasty Show which is a combination of food and entertainment that showcases the costumes, music and dancing of China's golden age: the Tang dynasty. The guard there told us that one of the highlights of the show is a solo performance by a classical musician who plays the ancient "pai .xiao" flute. We were sure its going to be amazing and it really was At ten o'clock we went back to the hotel .to sleep

8th Day
:Sites we visited

xian/Xining

Terracotta Warriors and Horses http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_museum/2003-09/24/content_30784.htm http://www.chinatour.com/attraction/terracotta.htm Big Wild Goose Pagoda http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Wild_Goose_Pagoda :Restaurants where we ate .Breakfast- At the hotel Lunch- At the museum. Dinner- In the "New Oriental Express" train. Accommodations: On the New Oriental Express train

After breakfast in the hotel we went by bus to visit Xian's famous Terracotta Warriors .museum We were told that it is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China like Jacques Shirac, who was president of France, once said: "One can't claim to have visited China ".unless one has seen these Terra-cotta Warriors This museum which contains 6,000 life-size terracotta warriors and horses is an archeological excavation of the 20th century. The terracotta warriors were created by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang and in 1975 the State Council authorized to build a museum on site. When completed, people from far and near came to visit. Xian and the Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and .Horses have become landmarks on all travelers' itinerary The price per ticket is 5.75$ and the food on the site was very .expensive After lunch we went to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It is

located in the southern suburb of Xian City. The original pagoda was built during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, standing at a height of 54 m but the pagoda currently stands at a height of 64 m (210 ft) tall and from the top it offers views over the current city of .Xi'an We visited the Pagoda in the evening because we saw a lot of pictures and we decided that the Pagoda is much more beautiful at .night We got to the New Oriental Express Train which took us to .Lhasa

In the morning we visited Jokhang Temple which was built during the reign of king Songsten Gampo to celebrate his marriage with Chinese Tang Dynasty princess Wencheng, who was a Buddhist. The temple was called the Tsulag Khang or 'House of Wisdom' but it is now known as the Jokhang which means the 'House of the Buddha'. It is the first Buddhist temple in Tibet, for most Tibetans it is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. Along with the Potala Palace, it is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Lhasa. Open Hours: All day. At 14:00 novice monks meet on the balcony of the second floor to debate religious doctrine Admission Fee: RMB 70 per person. The afternoon was bit more relaxed with plenty of time to explore Lhasa's famed Barkhor Street, the oldest street in Lhasa as well as the center of old Lhasa and remains very traditional, to shop, people watch, and watch artisans create amazing works of art in wood, stone, and cloth. After that we went to check in at the 5 stars hotel Brahmaputra Grand which is one of the most attractive hotels in China set amongst mountains. The location of Brahmaputra Grand Hotel in Lhasa is in Wenjiang District, Tibet. Brahmaputra Grand Hotel in Lhasa is easily accessible, located alongside the riverside Gong Ba Ri Mammon Mountain. We paid 67 US$ per night, we stayed there for 2 nights (meaning- 134$).

http://www.tibettravel.info/lhasa/sights/index.html :Restaurants where we ate .Breakfast- At the hotel Lunch- Picnic in Norbulingka Park. Dinner- At the hotel.

Accommodations: Brahmaputra Grand Hotel

After breakfast we went to the Sera Monastery, one of the three largest monasteries (Sera, Depung and Ganden) in Tibet and we went to visit the original one out of those three. Open Hours: 9:00-16:00 Admission Free: RMB 30 Then we went to The Carpet Factory to see how traditional Tibetan carpets are hand woven. After lunch we visited the Drepung Monastery, the largest of all Tibetan monasteries, and indeed at its peak was the largest monastery of any religion in the world, (Price of scenic spot: RMB 45 yuan) and Norbulingka Park (Summer palace) , which served as the traditional summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas, The gardens are a favorite picnic spot and provides a beautiful venue for theatre, dancing and festivals, particularly the Sho Dun or 'Yoghurt Festival', at the beginning of August, with families camping in the grounds for days surrounded by colorful makeshift windbreaks of rugs and scarves and enjoying the height of summer weather.

The ticket price is RMB 70 yuan for tourists. Opening time: 9:00-12:00,15:00(reopen time) on MondaySaturday. The Tibetan opera performances at 11:00. Potala Palace - the most sacred place on the Roof of the World, is the spiritual monument of Tibetans.

In the morning we traveled by bus to Gyangtse. On the way we visited the Yamdrok Lake, one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet, It is over 72 km (45 miles) long. The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. The lake does have an outlet stream at its far western end. Yamdrok Lake, also known as Yamḍok Yumtso, has a power station- the largest in Tibet; and the Karola Snow Mountain. After lunch we visited the beautiful Palkhor Monastery which is a kind of typical Tibetan Buddhism monastery. Palkhor Monastery, also named Palcho Monastery, is very different from other monasteries. Built as a Tibetan monastery, its structural style is very unique, reputed as the lord of Tibetan stupas. In addition, it is famous for the architecture, sculpture, and mural painting art. Information about that place: Opening Hours: 09:10 to 16:00 Recommended Time for Visit: Two hours Admission Fee: RMB 40 Yuan per person. Then we traveled to Shigatse and upon arriving we checked into our hotel- "Shigatse Hotel" which located at the center of Shigatse city, the site of successive Panchen Lama. Shigatse Hotel in Tibet is a three-star tourist hotel, it was founded in 1985. The

structure was in typical Tibetan style and inside it was decorated in popular Tibetan tradition with modern equipment in guest room. The address: 13 Shanghai Middle Road Shigatse City, Tibet.

:Restaurants where we ate .Breakfast- At the hotel Lunch- In the foot of Mount Everest. Dinner- At the hotel.

Accommodations: Rongbuk Monastery (Guest House)

After breakfast we were driven to the Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in the world at 16,404ft, which lies at the foot of Mount Everest. Their we watched the beautiful view from the highest floor- it was amazing. Mt. Everest, also known as Mt.Qomolangma, meaning Goddess Third in Tibet, is the highest peak in the world. The 8,848 meters (29,028 feet) high peak, snow capped throughout the year.

13th Day
Sites we visited: Everest Base Camp

Rongbuk Monastery/Everest Base Camp/Shigatse

Restaurants where we ate: Breakfast- In the Everest Base Camp at the sunrise. Lunch- Next to the rivers. Dinner- A local restaurant in Shigatse.

Accommodations: Shigatse Hote

In the early morning we were driven to the Everest Base Camp to see the sunrise and then to do a little trek. The Everest region (or Solu Khumbu region, as it is locally known) is the second most popular trekking area in Nepal (the Annapurna is the first). The popularity of this region is derived, of course, from its proximity to the world's highest mountain, but also from its Sherpa people and buddhist monasteries. Of the trek's strongest difficulties are it's up-and-down walking (resulting from crossing ridges instead of walking along them) and it's steep gain of altitude. Although the trek is named the Everest Base Camp trek, the main highlight of the trek is the walk up to Kala Pattar ("Black Rock") peak, a magnificent view point at 5545 meters, offering astonishing views of Mt. Everest and it's surrounding mountain peaks. The trek takes you along the Dudh Kosi, Bhote Kosi and Imja Kola rivers, all with blueish melted glacier water, past beautiful water streams and, below 4000 meters, beautiful green forests with much wild life. Past the tree line, above 4000 meters, the green pastures fade away and pass control to rocky "moon-like" surroundings. After lunch we returned to Shigatse.

Rongbuk Monastery - the highest monastery in the world.

Everest Base Camp is a famous trekking routes which attracted thousands trekkers each year.

After dinner we took a cube to the airport for our flight home- to Israel =[